


From Punishment to a Gift

by Oh_Toasty



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Afghanistan, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Battle of New York (Marvel), Coulson Lives, Frost Giant Loki, Jotunn | Frost Giant, Loki is Yinsen, Loki's punishment, M/M, Self-Hatred, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-04-30 16:13:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5170220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oh_Toasty/pseuds/Oh_Toasty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Loki is returned to Asgard for punishment, Odin decides his fate. Loki is sent back to earth, powerless, alone, and in the past. There he finds a familiar face in an unfamiliar place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From Punishment to a Gift

He wakes up alone in the desert without any magic. When he finally reaches a village, two days after his landing, he learns that Odin's punishment has returned him to Midgard approximately four years before his attack. Perhaps the all father wishes for him to stop himself in the future?

Then suddenly there is a man screaming in a language that he knows isn't English. "Where is the doctor, where is the doctor?"

He sees the village leaders eyes flicker to a man who must be a real doctor before Loki himself is pushed forwards. 

"This man," the village leader says, "he is a doctor."

Loki barely contains a smile, this he can understand, Loki is not of his people nor is he an actual doctor who can help them. Loki is expendable. 

He's shoved into one of the vehicles and a rough burlap hood is over his head. When it's finally taken off he finds himself stuck in a cave with Tony Stark lying prone on a table before him. Laughter bubbles out of him. 

"Fix him," they yell and Loki wants to tell them that he can't, that he wants to kill him instead. But he doesn't because he is nothing more than a mortal now and they could kill him easily. 

So Loki sets to work and as he goes he thanks Fate that he had studied anatomy when he learned healing and that Barton had provided him with Tony's medical files all those years in the future. Had he not read them thoroughly he would not have known how to make a working electromagnet. He also thanks them that it had been impossible for the All-Father to take his natural Jotunn strength and speed, with out it Tony would have died. 

When Tony awoke Loki explained that, yes he had been taken by terrorists and no, he didn't know what they wanted. Of course that last question was answered easily enough when they came in and demanded a Jericho missile. They didn't get it and Tony was tortured. 

Admittedly, Loki cackled at the sight of his enemy being drowned, but it quickly wore off. Soon he realized that it wasn't nearly as entertaining as he thought it would be. As of right now Tony was not the so called hero he would meet; this man was a mere shadow of the one he would met in the future. 

That was fine though, Loki could wait for that man to appear before he got his revenge, though first he had to make sure they both survived that long. 

In the end he didn't have to worry about it, the hero he despised was already being made and Tony had an escape plan. Of course it didn't go according to plan, nothing ever does. Loki snarled as he left Tony charging up and grabbed the gun off of the guard. Then he sped down the cave shooting down all the guards who got in his way. 

Eventually, he reached a wall of men who were armed and he raised a hand in order to use magic on them. To late, he remembered that the All-Father had stripped that ability from him. 

As the first finger went towards the trigger, Loki dropped to the ground and rolled behind a stack of crates. Just before he reached his cover he felt the sharp pain of a bullet piercing his flesh. Closing his eyes, Loki groaned and focused on the heavy thud he knew to be Tony. Sleepily, he thought, 'He must be getting closer'. 

When Loki next woke up, it was to the roaring of a jet engine and a sweaty palm gripping his hand. With a slow flutter of his lids Loki peeled his eyes open and blinked to clear the gunk from them. 

"Loki," breathed a voice to his left, "You're all right! Rhodey said you would be but I wasn't sure."

"Stark," Loki snapped, wide awake now, "Where are we?"

"In a plane on the way back to Malibu." Tony explained, "And you know you can call me Tony after the whole saving each others lives thing."

Loki's lip curled in disgust, "I refuse to utter that butchered thing you call a name, I shall either call you Stark or Anthony, take your pick."

Tony hesitated before nodding, "Fine you can call me Anthony. But only because you saved my life."

Loki smirked internally, little did the mortal know he had only done so in order to kill him in the future. 

"Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to use my jet to go wherever you want, or if you'd like to stay at my mansion with me. I mean, I know you don't have a family so I thought maybe you might like that."

"Perhaps," was Loki's only response. 

Tony could tell he'd get nothing else from Loki at that moment and made his way towards Rhodey. He stayed there until they finally touched down in Malibu. 

As they exited the plane Loki slid into the limo with Tony, "I will stay with you for now, Anthony."

"Great," he crowed, "I'm gonna get a cheeseburger and then call a press conference you want to come with or should I drop you off at the house?"

"I shall come," Loki agreed partially because of the thought of real food and partially because he wished to watch Tony in this pivotal moment of his life.

The press conference went as well as could be expected and Loki smirked as he watched the reporters follow Tony back to the car. He himself had returned to it the instant Tony had climbed of the stage. 

They arrived back at Tony's house where Loki was soon to the guest room and introduced to Jarvis. The AI was big help in the next couple of weeks as Loki learned things that were basic human ideas (such as a microwave). 

He was quite content to laze about Tony's home acting as he owned the place. He didn't even mind spending time with the mortal; Tony's technobabble amused him to no end. It also didn't hurt that Tony found his pranks rather funny. 

He didn't realize he had befriended the mortal until he found him lying on his couch paralyzed and with out an arc reactor. The panic he felt was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Generally he kept a cool head, but not this time. Perhaps because it was someone besides his oaf of a brother, this was his first real friend. 

"Anthony," Loki growled, "Do you have a spare?"

Luckily, the paralysis was wearing off and Tony had enough energy to whisper, "Workshop."

Hefting Tony up into his arms, Loki ran towards the workshop at Jotunn speeds. He knew that the longer Tony's reactor was gone the closer the shrapnel crept to his heart. 

They reached Tony's workshop in record time. After gently setting Tony's down on the cot Loki scrambled over to his workstation and threw things aside until he found the cases reactor. Smiling at Pepper's convenient sentiment he smashed the glass and retrieved the arc reactor within. Rushing back to Tony, Loki slammed the reactor into place and breathed with relief when he heard a click. He had done it, Tony was safe. 

The feeling of relief didn't last long. All to soon Tony was suiting up and insisting on going, saying the Obie would people otherwise. 

Loki was furious that Tony was putting his life on the line so soon after almost dying (even Thor know better), but there was nothing he could do. With out his magic he was nothing, he couldn't even follow Tony. 

So he didn't, instead he focused his attention on becoming useful. He should never have become so dependent of his magic anyway. One never knew when they'd use so much magic that'd they'd be left dry. 

"Jarvis," he snapped, "I require a training space. Mats to practice falling and dummies to practice sparing. I will be transforming the extra guest room into a training area." 

"Of course, Mr. Laufeyson." Jarvis said. "I've sent your order, it should be here with in three hours seeing as how it went in under Mr. Stark's name." 

"Thank you," Loki replied settling into the couch to wait. 

When Tony returned some hours later he couldn't find Loki anywhere. It was only after he'd searched the usual places that he thought to ask Jarvis. 

"Sir, Mr. Laufeyson is currently in your second guest bedroom."

As Tony began to make his way to Loki, Jarvis continued, "Though, I must warn you, Mr. Laufeyson has made some renovations." 

Tony pushed open the door, and stopped. When Jarvis had said renovations, he hadn't expected this. 

Gone were his beautiful hardwood floors and well maintained guest room. Now a thick cushioned mat covered the ground and it was surrounded by dummies designed for martial arts practice. In the center of it at was Loki, his long hairlike back in a graceful bun on the back of his head as he waltzed though out the room attacking dummy after dummy. 

"Love what you've gone with the place," Tony drawled as he leaned against the door frame with raised brows. 

Quickly Loki halted his actions and slowly made his way over to Tony. "Thank you. Now, why are you here?" 

"To show you that I'm all right," Tony replied with a look of minor confusion. 

"I can see that, now you may go. I must train."Loki turned back towards one of the dummies. 

"What are you training for?" Tony questioned stepping farther into the room. 

"One never knows when one may need to fight," Loki responded, "and I have grown lax in recent times."

"Well you were being held captive in a cave," Tony justified. "Then you were adjusting to life here."

Loki smiled, "No it's not that Anthony, even before then I grew to be to dependent on one skill an now that it's gone I realize my foolishness."

"Am I allowed to ask what skill?" Tony questioned looking extremely curious. That went away instantly as he took in Loki's dark expression. "Right, no talking about the past! I had a question anyway!"

"Yes," Loki asked looking at him suspiciously. 

"Would you come to the press conference I have to hold tomorrow?"

"No," Loki said smoothly. He didn't want his face to get out on the television it would cause ripples when his future self chose to attack. 

"Please," Tony begged, "It'll be fun, you'd definitely like it because I'm sure to cause some chaos somehow."

If asked later Loki would claim he went for the promise of chaos and not because Tony had begged. 

"I shall come. Now, good bye Anthony," Loki said as he pushed the mortal out of the door. 

In the press conference the next day, Tony announced he was Ironman and Loki cackled. It was even better than he'd expected. 

After that they fell into an easy pattern, Loki woke up early, ate breakfast, and then worked out until Tony appeared. Then they'd have lunch and make their way down to workshop. Some days they'd stay late, while on others they came up early and Tony introduced him movies he'd never seen (Loki remembers Tony yelling "what do you mean you don't know Disney," with fondness). Somewhere along the way Loki had decided when the time came, he'd allow this one Avenger to survive. 

 

This decision was only cemented when Loki eventually fell into bed with Tony. 

It had been after a particularly bad fight with Stark Industries board members. Despite the fact that they'd been doing well as source for clean energy for over six months they were still fighting Tony tooth and nail. 

He had ripped off his tie upon entry and Loki had quickly sensed his bad mood. 

"What's wrong?" He'd asked with one brow raised. "Anything I can to help?"

"Yeah," Tony breathed before grabbing the back of Loki's head and pulling him in close. Their lips connected and after a moment of Tony devouring Loki's lips the other man began to fight for dominance. He soon won and they ended up in Tony's room. 

Over time their relationship shifted to something more conventional (though it was still fairly strange). At one point the media found out that Tony was in a monogamous relationship with a man, but besides that all was well. Then, a year and a half after it all began, trouble found them. 

They were lying in bed facing one another when Loki saw it. The black lines creeping out from Tony's arc reactor. 

"Anthony," he said slowly sitting up right something about the sight made him feel as if something bad was going on. "What is that?"

"Nothing," the genius claimed snatching the sheets and pulling them higher. 

Loki's worry grew considerably, if Tony refused to tell him than it was most likely some sort of injury. Tony would never tell anyone when he was in trouble. He could feel a memory scratching at the back his mind but he didn't know what. 

"Anthony, I need you to tell me what's wrong!" Loki barked. "Please."

The please is what broke Tony. Loki almost never said please; according to him he saved it for situations where it would actually mean something. 

"The thing that's keeping me alive is killing me." Tony explained gently. "The reactor is poisoning me."

Loki's heart suddenly felt heavy, he remembered now in Tony's file that Barton had given him it had mentioned this, but it never said how Tony discovered the new element. "But it's curable right?"

"No babe," Tony explained, "I'm gonna die from this."

Gone was Loki's fear and sadness, now he only felt anger. Leaping out of bed he growled, "No, you're not allowed to die. I refuse to allow this to happen."

"Babe," Tony began. "You can't stop it."

"No, maybe I can't." Came the soft answer before Loki turned his face upwards and yelled, "But you can, please, Norns, please heal him."

Nothing happened and Loki collapsed to the ground sobbing. If the Norns wouldn't help Tony then nobody could. 

"Please, please help him." Loki whispered, "He's all I have left you've taken everything else. He's all that's left."

Tony leaned down to murmur in his ear, "Loki it'll be alright." Then his hand came to rest on Loki's shoulder and their lives changed forever. 

There was a bright flash of green light as magic flowed from Loki to Tony. 

"That shouldn't be possible," Loki muttered watching as his magic flowed into Tony and washed away the black lines on his chest. 

Tony took a step away from the magic, "What is this?" He asked sounding more wondrous than Loki had heard him ever before. 

Then the magic stopped and Loki felt the drain of using magic while it was bonded by Odin. If not for the Norns he would have died simply for attempting to use his magic. As it was he could feel the exhaustion creeping into his bones. 

"You may want to check your reactors core," Loki muttered, "I have a feeling it's different. Now I'm going to sleep darling."

Loki reached out a hand to cup his lovers cheek and froze at the sight of it. His hands were blue, which made it likely that the rest of his body was also. The Norns had revealed the monster that he was. 

Quickly, Loki pulled his hands back and stared at them breathing heavily. This couldn't be happening. Not even the All-Father had been cruel enough to strip that one last bit of magic from him. 

"Loki," he heard as he saw a tan, normal colored hand reaching for him. "What's going on?"

Jumping back Loki screeched, "Don't touch me! Stay away from me!"

"Loki what's going on," Tony begged and for the first time since Afghanistan there was fear in his voice. 

Loki recoiled, he had put that there. He was the reason his partner was frightened. He had to do something; he had to go. And so he did. 

Sprinting past Tony, Loki made a break for the door using his full Jotunn speed. He didn't stop until he was reaching the outskirts of Malibu. From there he found an alley; it would have to be sufficient for the night. After all he couldn't go and check into hotel while he was blue. 

When Loki awoke his Asgardian skin had returned and he was left to contemplate his options. He could disappear right now, and spare himself the pain of seeing his lover look disgusted by him, or he could return home and at least tell Tony what had happened and that he wouldn't die. In the end he opted to do the latter, (even though it would hurt more to leave after seeing him) he knew how self destructive Tony would be if he thought he was dying. 

Tony had just put his new core, of an unidentifiable metal, back into his arc reactor when Jarvis began to speak. 

"Sir, Mr. Laufeyson appears to be approaching the mansion, and his skin has returned to its normal hue."

Tony rushed out to the front of the mansion stoping Loki with a well placed right hook that the god didn't bother to stop. After all, he'd also want to hit a monster who'd lied to him for two years and shared his bed for one and a half. 

"Where were you asshole," Tony screamed. "I was worried about you."

That stopped Loki right away, "You were what?"

"Worried you asshole," Tony repeated, "What did you think would happen when you turn blue with out explanation and then disappear?"

"You mean you don't know," Loki questioned. If mortals didn't know about Frost Giants that meant there was still a chance he might love Loki. But Loki couldn't continue to force this relationship not after the harsh reminder that he was a monster. 

"Know what?" Tony asked sounding desperate. "What's going on?"

"I'm not human Anthony, I'm a monster," Loki hissed. 

"Because you turned blue?" Tony wondered, "that doesn't make you a monster."

"It's a part of it though," Loki murmured. "However I didn't come here for this argument. I came to tell you that the damage done by your old arc reactor has been healed."

Tony perked up, "I saw that when I was investigating the reactor's new core. How did that happen?"

Loki simply shrugged, "It is a long story. One I don't wish to tell-,"

"To bad," Tony interrupted. "You owe me this. You're gonna come in and explain to me why the hell I'm suddenly okay."

Loki had never been able to say no to those big brown eyes and he couldn't start now. So instead he walked into Tony's living room and told him the truth. He explained that there are other realms and that he came from Asgard. He explained that he had magic, but it was taken from him so he'd asked the Norns to allow him just enough to heal Tony. Then he told him about how it had worked, the Norns had finally looked upon him favorably. 

"Okay," Tony said slowly. "That still doesn't explain everything, why'd you turn blue? You said Asgardians look pretty much the same as humans."

Loki sighed, he had hoped Tony wouldn't catch that. "I am not an Asgardian. I hail from Jotunheimr the home of the Frost Giants. However I was a runt and tossed aside by my mother, King Laufey. Odin found me and took me into his home to be raised as an Asgardian until a time came for him to use me."

Tony's eyes were wide, "One last question-" 

"I doubt it," Loki muttered quietly. 

"Why'd you leave last night?"

 

Loki's look conveyed how idiotic he found Tony to be. "I am a monster Anthony, the sight of my skin reminded me of this. I could not subject you to a life of misery with me."

But that's the thing, Lokes! I haven't been miserable. I've been happy! You being a frost giant won't change that. Why do you hate them so much anyway?"

Snarling, Loki replied, "They are savages whose only goals are to maim and kill."

"I don't believe that," Tony cried. "Don't you see Loki, that's a generalization. You're smarter than to believe that, an entire species can't be like that. After all, you aren't like that."

"Perhaps," Loki murmured. 

Tony sighed knowing he'd get nothing else out of Loki that day, "Come on babe. Let's go get breakfast."

Time began to pass again and they fell into a similar pattern, only now Loki would regale Tony with stories of his childhood. It was almost two years later, when Loki decided to tell the rest of his story. Tony knew that there were things Loki hadn't told him: he'd been alive for over a thousand years, it couldn't all be happy. However the mortal had long since accepted it, they all had the right to their secrets. 

Perhaps that was why he was so shocked when he handed Loki a mug of tea and heard, "I shall finish telling you my story."

Sliding up besides Loki Tony placed a kiss at the corner of his mouth, "All of it?"

"Yes," nodded the god. "The time has come. I suppose I should start with when it was declared that Thor was to be king. I began to plot then, I knew Thor wasn't ready to be king."

Loki went on from there, explaining how he'd discovered his true heritage and it had only made him more desperate to prove himself to Odin. So he had destroyed Jotunheimr and the All-Father had still been disappointed in him. Loki had seen no better choice and he'd fallen down into the void. 

In a slow and halting voice Loki continued to explain how he'd been found by a creature named Thanos who had given his man a magical spear and (once he'd been driven mad) an army. Then he mentioned that his target had been earth. 

"That makes no sense," Tony said. "We would know if aliens had attacked earth."

"Hold on," Loki smiled, "All be explained."

So Tony held his tongue and Loki picked up where he'd left off. He had come to earth and he had fought a team called the Avengers. He mentioned how he'd been stopped and Thor brought him before the All-Father for his punishment. 

"It turned out not to be much of one." Loki confessed, "In fact the only part of it I really mind is losing my magic. The rest of it, being sent back in time to Afghanistan, really wasn't that bad."

"Wait," Tony breathed, "That's why you were in Afghanistan, it was a part of your punishment? And how far in the future does all of this take place?" 

"Six months from now," Loki confessed. 

Tony's jaw fell open, "You're going to lead an alien invasion in six months? We need to tell Shield."

"No! You can't do that. It'll throw of the timeline to much. We have to wait," Loki explained. "Only small adjustments are acceptable."

"Alright," Tony reluctantly allowed. "What can we change, especially since this other you will have magic?"

A feral grin appeared on Loki's, "That's just it Anthony. We dot have to change anything, you've already won or I wouldn't be here."

In the end, they do change some things. Once Loki has been picked up from Stuttgart, Tony delete all footage of Loki's face both from shield and anywhere else it could be found. There was nothing to be done about the people who had seen Loki's face except hope they'd never make the connection between Tony's long time boyfriend and the God who attacked them. Tony also ensured that Coulson got locked into the armory, he refused to allow him to die just so he could work with Steve. Last but not least, Tony ensured his suit was completely finished, and designed so it was airtight and his safely in his little trip to space could be ensured. 

When it was all set and done, Tony didn't go to see the younger Loki off. He had his own Loki at home waiting for him. Or so he had thought. 

When Tony arrived at home, Loki was gone. There was no sign of a disturbance but that still didn't stop Tony's panic. The god was a well trained fighter but even he could be taken if someone was determined enough, and while Shield wasn't necessarily that desperate (they had sent younger Loki away to be punished after all), the council might be. 

So Tony did what he does best, he hacked into anything he thought might hold information. Jarvis scoured their websites looking for anything that could trace back to Loki. 

But he found nothing. 

After three days of hacking, and angry demanding phone calls with Fury, Tony finally realized what had happened. 

"Sir, Mr. Laufeyson appears to have appeared on the roof," Jarvis told him. 

Tony dropped his tablet and rocketed to his feet towards his lovers location. He didn't stop until his arms had wrapped around Loki's slim torso. 

"Where were you," he questioned attempting to sound calmer than he was. 

It didn't work. Loki tightened his grip around Tony's body as he replied, "Asgard."

"Why," asked Tony as he stepped back to look up at Loki in confusion. 

"When Thor and past me used the Tesseract to return it locks on to their biological signatures. I happen to have the same one as past me and so I was dragged along. However upon my arrival, the All-Father sensed my presence and summoned me to his chambers. With out my magic I could not resist his spell to teleport me." Loki paused to take a breath and Tony took his hand, leading him back inside. 

"Odin appeared to be shocked by my appearance after all I was wearing wearing midgardian garb and he could sense my lack of magic. After a moment of silence he finally asked me what had happened and I told him how he had punished me. From there I was confined in some guest chambers for a day and a half while he held the trial for past me; I don't know why he bothered to be honest he gave him the same punishment I had spoken of. Eventually, Odin made his way to my rooms and demanded I tell him what had transpired in these past four years. I, of course, refused it is my personal business after all, but then he laid a truth spell on me. Not that it mattered in the end, it got me two of the greatest gifts I could ever imagine."

Tony's curiosity peaked and he took a pause in Loki's speech to ask, "What did you get?"

A slow smile crept on to the god's face. "He returned my magic to me, apparently my love story was fairly moving."

"You have magic again," Tony babbled, "Imagine the possibilities. You have to teach me all about it. I need to know how it works and- wait a minute. You said you got two gifts, what was the second?"

The was a slight change in Loki's expression, a nervous flick in his eye. "A gift for you actually, though you mustn't feel pressured to take it."

"Please, I do what I want you should know that by now," Tony snorted. 

"I should," Loki agreed before reaching into a pocket dimension and retrieving an apple. It was unlike any other that Tony had seen seeing as how it was a brilliant gold. "It is one of Idunn's Apples. Eating this would make you as long lived as I am. Not to mentioning bringing your strength levels up to something along the same lines."

Tony stared at it for a moment, "Can I have time to think?" 

"Of course," Loki allowed. 

So for several days the brilliant gold apple sat on their counter. It was on the third day after Loki's return when he walked in and found Tony munching on it. And so, with a smile the two of them began the rest of their lives.


End file.
